Farm dads spend much of their time working close to home — a perfect way for their kiddos to see exactly what they do day in and day out. I can’t help but think back to 2006 and 2007, when Rodney Atkins’ song Watching You was all over the country music stations. The song honored the bond between fathers and their children, while also raising awareness that everything a father does is being watched closely by the youngsters. This coming Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show your farm dad just how much he means to you, how much he taught you, and how much you want to live up to his expectations.
As a dad myself, just about everything I have my eye on these days is practical — while there are a few frivolous things that crop up from time to time, generally I don’t have much time (or space) in my life for things that can’t be put to good use. So that’s what we’re going to look at on this Father’s Day gift idea list.
And, if it’s been awhile since you heard the Atkins song, part of the chorus goes:
“We got cowboy boots and camo pants/Yeah, we’re just alike, hey, ain’t we dad?
I wanna do everything you do/So I’ve been watching you.”
For that farmer dad you’ve spent so long looking up to, here are nine gift ideas we think he’ll like for Father’s Day:
Carhartt Men’s Rugged Flex Rigby Double Front Pant
This is one of Carhartt’s newest items, and we’ve spent a good while testing it out. The short review: We absolutely love these pants! They’ve darn-near replaced most of our other farm pants. They sport a mid-weight canvas blend, which isn’t too hot in the warmer months, with the perfect amount of stretch for easy movement. And they’ve got all the traditional jean pockets — plus a secure right thigh phone pocket and a left thigh utility pocket for your knife.
While the Hickory color (in the pic above) is our fav, these pants are also available in Shadow and Tarmac colors.
LaCrosse Alpha Range 14″ Work Boot
This is my go-to pair of neoprene rubber boots. They were reviewed for AGDAILY when brand new, and even a couple of years later, they’ve been through some messy rough stuff, and I still love them. The Alpha Range boots boast durable ZXT rubber, with reinforcements in the toe and heel. They have an ActiveFit design, that cushions your foot and makes for a very comfortable and lasting fit. They also have adjustable gussets to hug the calf muscle, and the heel plates make sliding them off without using your hands extremely easy. There are many other versions of these, including Lite for the summertime and Thermal for winter, though I’ve found the Range ones are highly versatile for all seasons.
Angus Worn-in Stretch Light Work Jacket
The Walls Angus Worn-in Stretch Light Work Jacket is the best work jacket we’ve ever had — and that’s about the best compliment we can give it. We wrote an entire review of this jacket. The Angus jacket had a perfect out-of-the-box feel and has survived a bevy of difficult and dirty tasks during the past several weeks of chilly spring mornings. I’m not even reaching for my other jackets anymore. The fit is true to size, and the jacket has five exterior pockets and two interior ones. The two standard outside breast pockets have snaps, while a third breast pocket is zippered. The hip pockets have a fuzzy lining, which means your hands warm up quickly even if you don’t have gloves on. The interior left pocket is zippered (perfect for stashing keys or credit cards), and the interior right has a Velcro closure. The cuffs have snaps to adjust the wrist openings, which is essential for days when the wind picks up and the chills try to sneak up your sleeves.
Milwaukee 2691-22 18-Volt Compact Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit
A cordless Milwaukee Tool is one of the best investments you can make for your farm’s workshop — or to take with you into the field on your tractor. This kit includes the Milwaukee M18 lithium-ion 1/2-inch compact drill/driver, M18 lithium-ion 1/4-inch hex compact impact, and contractor bag. Some of the innovation here is Milwaukee’s 4-pole frameless motor, lightweight durability, built-in LED lights, battery fuel gauges and variable speed triggers. It’s heavy duty.
WRAPTIE Twin Pack Straps
From cinching gear on the tractor or utility vehicle to hauling logs or fencing materials, these quick-tie straps make rope and knots obsolete in a lot of cases. The straps come in 120-inch, 180-inch, and 240-inch versions (hence the difference in listed price), and are highly adjustable to almost any load you deal with around the farm. Plus, since there are no buckles or hooks on the straps, there’s no need to worry about anything being scratched or otherwise damaged.
Egnaro Silicone Wedding Ring
If your wedding band has ever gotten caught and yanked hard on your finger while hauling feed to the cattle or saddling up a horse or climbing down from the tractor, then maybe you need a farm ring that you’re not going to have to worry about so much. We know metal wedding bands can get pretty scratched up or, worse, smashed onto your finger. Silicone rings help take that worry away — as well as not being so dire if it falls off or gets lost in another way.
FiberFix 1″, 2″ & 4″ Repair Tape Wrap – 3 Pack
Not that we’re not fans of good ol’ fashioned duct tape, but the regular stuff can’t hold a candle to the awesomeness of FiberFix (it’s actually billed as 100x stronger than duct tape). This stuff gained a good bit of fame on the TV show “Shark Tank” of all places, and it’s been used by us to fix ax handles, piping, and a wealth of other things ever since. (Here’s our review of it.) With a little water, this tape hardens to often make the repair spot stronger than the original. It’s perfect for the dad in your life who likes to or can’t help but to break things.
Carhartt Men’s Rockford Rain Defender Jacket
Sometimes it feels like the next downpour is just a blink away. And other times it feels like it’ll never end. We’ve worn this jacket in some of the heaviest rains our region could throw at us, and stayed dry the whole time. And I’ve put more hours than I initially expected in this jacket in recent weeks. It has water-repellent fabrication, an attached three-piece hood with drawstring toggle closure, a zip-front closure, and dual chest pockets with snap storm flaps. Not to mention that the left chest pocket includes a media port. This is a great jacket to have handy when Mother Nature throws her worst at you.
Case Cutlery Sodbuster Folding Knife
Just about every farm dad probably has a knife in his pocket or on his hip when he’s out in the field. If Dad is due for an upgrade, one of the most popular folding knives that farmers have on them is the Sodbuster. The Sodbuster is a traditional slip joint pocket knife that typically has one skinner blade and a simple handle with no bolster. They are great because of their slim design and simple function — and the Case name is one that you can trust around the farm.
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